Irish council paves way for drinking and driving

Kerry county council in Ireland has passed a motion that would pave the way for older people living in rural areas to drive after a couple of pints.

The decision was criticised by the Road Safety Authority, who described it as "unthinkable", adding that medical evidence proves alcohol impairs driving.

"On that basis it is unthinkable that we would go back to a system that sought to increase our drink-drive limit," said Noel Brett, chief executive of the Road Safety Authority.

The motion was passed by five men in the council, all of whom are either publicans, former publicans and connected to the pub trade. A dozen councillors were absent from the vote, while seven abstained.

Danny Healy-Rae, the councillor who proposed the motion, said it would apply to "older people ... isolated now at home, and a lot of them falling into depression."

Mayor of Kerry Terry O'Brien, said the motion did not "make any sense" and was "incredibly dangerous".

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It will now move to Alan Shatter, the Ireland Justice minister, where he will be asked to issue licences that would allow those in the remote countryside to drive home from the pub "after having two or three drinks on little-used roads, driving at very low speeds."